Worthy is the Lamb

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What does it mean to worship God? Learn why we worship, how we worship, and when we worship during the course of this 4 week study.

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Worthy is the Lamb

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” Psalm 95:6

Why do we worship God?
When do we worship God?
How do we worship God?

Are you are longing for a deeper relationship with Christ? Are wanting to go deeper into your worship of God? Do you feel like something is missing from your worship experience?

This will be the focus of Worthy is the Lamb, a four week Bible study just for you!

You can use this banner on your blog or website to let others know you are participating:

Worthy is the Lamb Bible Study Begins November 3, 2008! Get Ready!

Worthy is the Lamb Bible Study

Day 6: Were They Nailed to the Cross?

When do we worship God?

Have you ever heard the saying, "God's law was nailed to the cross?"Some people suggest that we do not need to keep God's Holy Sabbath because Jesus’ death on the cross did away with the law. When Jesus died, he did do away with the ceremonial laws such as sacrificing an unblemished lamb. The reason these laws were done away with is because they each pointed to Jesus. Once Jesus had died for our sins we no longer needed to transfer our sins to a sacrificial lamb because our sins were now transferred to Christ Himself.

God’s holy law, the Ten Commandments, have always been and always will be. His holy law is eternal, never changing. The Bible tells us:

“Do not think that I came to destroy the law.” Matthew 5:17

“It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 16:17

“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin (break the law) because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Romans 6:14, 15

“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea we establish the law.” Romans 3:31

“For I am the LORD, I change not…” Malachi 3:6

Would God really change His mind about the Sabbath? Would He change His mind… and then forget to mention it in His Word?

As believers we have an even higher standard to meet. We, as Christ’s followers are to be the shining example in a world that is sinful. We have a great responsibility to uphold the law of God.

Here is an example: Let’s say you are driving along, over the speed limit, and a police officer pulls you over. You know you did wrong and you tell the officer you are sorry. He forgives you and rather than issue a ticket warns you not to speed again. Are you going to pull back out on the road and speed off? Or are you going to obey the speed limit? You are now under the officer’s grace, and you are thankful so you obey the law. The law is still there. You still have broken the law, but you were forgiven.

Christians have a double obligation to keep God’s law! We are to be an example of holy living to the rest of the world.

Suggesting that God's law was done away with at the cross or "nailed to the cross," also suggests that it was the law that saved the Israelites and gave them eternal life. However, the law never could and never will save anyone! The Jewish people were not saved by keeping the Law. They were saved by the blood of Jesus!

God's law is to be written on our hearts. Remember what I said about keeping God's law being a heart issue not a works issue?

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Hebrews 8:10

Day 7: Are We Too Sinful to Keep God's Law?

When do we worship God?

The fourth argument people use to say that we do not need to keep the fourth commandment is that as sinners it is impossible to keep God’s law so why try. This is a little ridiculous because if you asked someone if it was possible to not kill or not steal or not commit adultery they would say, “Yes!” You see, no one has a problem with the 1st commandment or the 10th commandment or any of the ones in between except the fourth.

No one is perfect. In fact everyone born since the time of Adam and Eve has been born a sinner. The book of Romans tells us that “all have fallen short.” So we all are in need of a Savior.

Since we are all sinners, does that mean we cannot keep the law or should not do our best to keep God’s law? As believers it seems to me that we should do everything we can to keep God’s law and when we fall short we should repent and do our best to do better in the future. The Bible says:

“If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3

“I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” Hebrews 8:10

“I can do all things through Christ.” Philippians 4:13

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God.” Revelation 14:12

What is so wonderful about having a relationship with Jesus is that it causes us to desire His will. We want to obey Him. Keeping God’s law to the best of our ability is something we do because of the awesome gift He gave to us. Jesus died a horrible death – for me! The least I can do is do what he asks of me as best as I can.

By keeping God’s law, we are showing the world our faith. By obeying God we are demonstrating our faith. The Bible tells us that:

“But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” James 2:20- 24

I find the above passage amazing. As Christians we have an obligation to do more than simply believe there is a God or that Jesus died so that I might have eternal life. For even Satan knows what Jesus has done. Satan does not have the will to obey God’s law – that is why he fell in the first place.

“Do you still think it's enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that a faith that does not result in good deeds is useless?"James 2:19-20 (NLT)

Day 5: Is Keeping the Sabbath Legalistic?

When do we worship God?

We have discussed the fact that the Sabbath was created at the end of the first week when God rested and blessed the seventh day, setting it apart from the rest of the week. We have also looked at how the Sabbath was given in God's Ten Commandments as the Fourth Commandment. God asked us to "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."

The Fourth Commandment is the only one that begins with the word "Remember." That suggests to me that God didn't want us to forget the Sabbath. I was raised not keeping the Sabbath. In fact, even though I went to church on a regular basis, I was never taught about the Sabbath.

It was not until I met my future husband, Mykal, who believed in following all of God’s Commandments that I began to understand – really understand – God’s plan for this world. Mykal was a Sabbath keeper. In other words, he kept the seventh-day Sabbath just as Jesus did during His life here on earth. It was something I had never studied and so I began an exciting foray into the Scriptures to learn just what God wanted me to understand. It was then that I realized how much I wanted to live a Biblical life. To really follow the Word of God and not the ideas of men.

Many people reject the idea of "keeping the commandments" because they believe that trying to keep God's law is legalistic and no one can “work their way to heaven” so it doesn’t really matter which day we go to church. I agree that no can work their way to heaven. The only thing that makes us righteous before God is Jesus’ blood covering our sins. HE is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is the only way. Our belief in Him, our relationship with Him, is all that can ultimately save us from eternal death.

What did Jesus say? The Bible says:

“If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

The Bible also says:

“He who says, ‘I know him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:4

And that is not all the Bible says about commandment keeping. God never changes and so, He promises:

“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding you own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.” Isaiah 58:13,14

Is it really legalistic to keep the Sabbath? Or does God want us to keep keep ALL of His Law?

Think about this: Is it okay today to lie, steal, commit adultery, dishonor our parents, worship idols, take the Lord's name in vain, or covet? Of course not! Then why is it okay to disregard God's Sabbath?

Did Jesus say, "Go and sin no more." or did He say, "Go and do whatever you want?"

Is it legalistic to be obedient to God? The Bible is very clear that God expects us to seek out Him on a daily basis and be obedient. Psa 89:30-32 says,

"If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes."

Keeping God's commandments are part of our worship. It is how we express our love for Him. Of course, if you are keeping God's law because you want to be "good enough" to get to heaven, or "work your way" to heaven, that is wrong. But so would reading your Bible be wrong if that was your reason for doing do. You see, keeping God's Law and keeping the Sabbath is about your motives. It is a matter of the heart. And God knows the difference. Here are a few more verses on keeping God's Commandments:

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12:13

"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." John 14:21

"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15:10

"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." 1 John 5:3

Day 4: Worship the Lord Thy God

When Do We Worship God?

"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." Isaiah 58:14

We have looked at three reasons why we should worship God.

1. God is Our Creator
2. God is Our Redeemer
3. God is Our Savior

Now, honestly, I could go on and on forever about why we should worship God. After all, He is God. But, I want to move past that wonderful subject and look at what the Bible says about worship. Through the ages, people have struggled with worshiping God. The Israelites, although chosen by God, were very naughty. They struggled to obey God - even when He was right there among them!

I would like to think I would not have been so thickheaded and stubborn as the Israelites were, but, if I am completely honest I will say, yes, I have a stubborn streak just like they did!

Let's look at what God told the Israelites about worshiping Him. Exodus 20: 2-11 says,

"I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

The verses above are the first four commandments in the Ten Commandments. I was not taught about God's Holy Law as a child. Yes, I read the Ten Commandments. I heard them spoken of. I knew it was important to keep God’s law. God's Law, the Ten Commandments, are a testimony of His perfect character.

From the Bible we know that God’s law, the Ten Commandments were special. They were different from the Mosaic laws which showed the Israelites how to keep the law. The Israelites were a very stubborn people who easily forgot how much God had done for them. The Mosaic laws were needed to remind them of the wretchedness of sin.

The Ten Commandments were written by God’s own finger. The stone tablets were placed inside the ark of the covenant and the Mosaic laws were placed on the outside of the ark. This showed God’s people the sacredness of God’s law. God told us that His words would not be altered or changed.

"My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips." Psalm 89:34

When I first began keeping the Sabbath, it was hard. I was so used to being busy, that I had to force myself to stop. Just STOP. No TV, no shopping, nothing secular, no work, no housework, etc. The Bible says:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days thou shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work … For in six days the Lord made the heavens and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11

Most people will say that the Sabbath is for the Jews only. However, you can see in the verses above that God blessed the Sabbath day at the time of Creation – before the Jewish people existed. God knew we would forget and he asked us to remember.

God’s law has always been and always will be. It is the law of Heaven. When Satan fell, it was because he had broken God’s law. We know this because without God’s holy law there can be no sin. The law tells us what sin is. The Bible says:

“Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20

“… for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4

We know that Abraham kept God’s commandments.

“Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:5

And if God’s law was not in existence at the time of creation, how would Cain have known that killing his brother was a sin? He knew because sin is the transgression of the law.

It is impossible to commit a sin and not break one of God’s laws. The Bible tells us that:

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” Psalm 19:7

“I delight to do your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8

“Happy is he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18

Worshiping God is how we express our love for Him. Jesus said,

"If you love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15

So, one of the ways we worship God is by keeping His Holy Law to the best of our ability and by asking for forgiveness for our transgressions. When we give God full control over our lives, we understand how sin grieves His heart. We understand the wretched nature of sin. We understand that sin is the barrier that prevents us from coming fully into the presence of God.

Day 3: God is Ous Savior

Why do we worship God?

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places." Habbakkuk 3: 17-19

God is Our Savior

Because of sin, without a Savior, we would have no hope for eternal life. There is coming a day when we will each have to stand before the judgment seat of God and answer to His charges. On the day of judgment, will you stand naked before God? Or will you have the covering of Jesus blood making you righteous in His sight? It is ever so important to study God’s Word – to hide His Word in your heart. The Devil, the old serpent knows your weakest points and he is the master of deception. Do not allow the evil one to deceive you for you were chosen by God and HE wants you for His own.

Is it possible for one of God’s chosen to be deceived? Eve in her perfect form, not yet a sinful creature, a child of God, was deceived!

Christians flippantly talk about “getting saved” or make statements such as, “He got saved last night.” I don’t deny the fact that a person can have a life changing moment and receive his eternal salvation. What I am talking about it those times when an alter call is made, a young person goes down the aisle and confesses Jesus as his Lord and Savior and then weeks from that night has shown no change in their behavior.

When we confess our sins before God and ask him to come into our lives there is work to be done! We cannot expect to receive the covering of Jesus blood if we do not bear fruit. The Bible says,

"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:19-21

Salvation is given by grace to those who believe. There is nothing I or you can do save our selves. In fact, we could live as a monk alone in a monastery with no one to talk to and we would still be transgressors of God’s law in need of the blood of the Lamb.

So, where do works and good fruits come into play? Is it possible to lose your salvation? How do we know we are saved? Can we know we are saved?

These are very important questions to ask! We CAN know we are saved. The Bible says,

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:13

As with any heart issue – it is not what you do, but what is in your heart! God does know the difference, so we need not worry that He won’t make the right judgment.

When Jesus came, he lived a perfect life, free of sin. He set an example that we as His believers are to follow to the best of our ability. True repentance means that we are convicted of a sin and we ask forgiveness and seek out God’s will for our lives on a daily basis. It does not mean we will not make mistakes, however it does mean we will grieve in our hearts at our own sin. We will understand that every time we sin, we are breaking God’s heart all over again. Jesus died for me! He DIED for me. He died that second death talked of in Revelation.

"The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8

"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matthew 27:45,46

Matthew Henry says, concerning the death of Christ, “During the three hours which the darkness continued, Jesus was in agony, wrestling with the powers of darkness, and suffering his Father's displeasure against the sin of man, for which he was now making his soul an offering. Never were there three such hours since the day God created man upon the earth, never such a dark and awful scene; it was the turning point of that great affair, man's redemption and salvation.”

You see, Jesus did not just die. He felt God’s separation from Him. He felt that separation, that displeasure from God that all unbelievers will feel on the judgment day.

Jesus’ heart aches when we sin against Him. Obedience to Him is not a lot to ask! And ask He did. Jesus said,

“If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

Jesus commands us to obedience. He asks that we follow Him – not just believe in Him. James 2 tells us:

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:19,20

Not everyone who believes in Jesus will enter the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said,

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23

The verse above leads me to believe that there will be some who go to church every week who will not enter into the gates of Heaven because despite their professed faith, they simply never truly followed God.

The Bible says:

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:1,2

We are told to present our lives as holy and acceptable to God. To be transformed! We are told to live in this world but not be a part of this world. Have you come to a place in your life where nothing matters more than what God thinks? If you love this world more than you love God, you are in trouble.

What can you say is different and holy in your life that an unbeliever cannot? Are you really different, or set apart from the world? Or are you living like the world, but simply going to church each week? You are to present your bodies as a living sacrifice!

Jesus is coming to take His people home very soon. Are you ready? If you knew that Jesus would return in 6 months would you change anything you do? Think about it.

Satan is waiting each day to trip you up. It is so important that you arm yourself with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Know what your Bible says! Commit it to your heart today.

"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Ephesians 5:6

Do not forsake God’s Word because you are busy or you think it is boring or because you trust your pastor or other trusted advisor (including myself) to teach it to you. You need to read the Bible for yourself. Study it carefully. Don’t assume that what you think you know about the Bible is actually founded on Scripture. Know what you believe, but more importantly – why you believe it. Stand firm on God’s Word.

Day 2: God is Our Redeemer

Why do we worship God?

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Revelation 5: 11-13

God is Our Redeemer

God created our world in six days and rested on the seventh. He created the first man and woman and placed them in a lush and beautiful garden. He provided for them a perfect place to live and raise a family. He gave to them a world filled with not only beauty, but also joy.

Even before this world was created, God knew that the beauty, the joy and the peace would be short lived. Yet, that knowledge did not prevent Him from continuing with His work. You see, God knew Eve would disobey and that His beautiful creation would need to be separated from Him. Yet, He loved them so much that He allowed them to have their own free will and choose whether they would listen and obey.

There had been war in heaven and Lucifer, the most beautiful of all angels had sinned against God. He had boasted and cried out to the heavens that he would be like the Most High God. Lucifer exalted himself before all of creation and God had cast him away.

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,a son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:

‘ I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.
Isaiah 14:12-15

When God’s work was done and He had rested the seventh day, He gave instructions to Adam and Eve. In the midst of the Garden of Eden, was the Tree of Life and another tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God said they might freely eat of every tree in the garden, but that the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was not to be touched.

One day Eve was walking through the garden and a serpent called out to her:

“’Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” Genesis 3:1

I would imagine that Eve was surprised at first. She probably had a small voice inside of her saying, “Don’t talk to him!” But for whatever reason, Eve stepped closer and listened.

“And the woman said unto the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.’” Genesis 3:2-3

She knew what God had said. She had known only love and goodness since the day she was created. And, still, she doubted Him. She listened to the serpent.

“And the serpent said unto the woman, ‘Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.’” Genesis 3:4

Satan was persuading her, deceiving a child of God. He was leading her in the wrong direction. He was convincing her not to believe God’s Word. And so she thought about it. And she believed the serpent.

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat...” Genesis 3:6

Perhaps she felt a sense of power, or a sense of shame, or maybe she got a rush of adrenalin the way men and women often do when they think they have gotten away with something. Whatever she felt inside, it didn’t stop her from encouraging her husband to sin with her.

“… and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked." Genesis 3:6-7

Adam, while he was not the one to initiate the sin, partook fully by taking the fruit from her hands and putting it to his lips. He chose Eve over God. Here he was enjoying another perfect day in the Garden of Eden when he sees his wife coming toward him. He must have known immediately that something was wrong. The covering of God’s light had disappeared from her and she was naked before him – no longer an image of perfection.

I can imagine his face falling as he looked over the woman he loved. The woman who had been given solely for his pleasure; for his devotion; for his companion. “Eve,” he cried out, “What have you done?” She would have explained the story to him, telling him about the serpent who had spoken to her. Telling him that the fruit was good for food, that God had not told them the truth. And he reached out his hand and grasped the fruit, knowing he would die. He had loved Eve more than he loved God.

Their eyes were opened. And they were afraid. Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves to hide their shame. Fear caused them to hide from their Creator. And when God called to them, they didn’t take the blame on themselves. They placed the burden of sin on someone else.

“And the man said, ‘The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat’. And the LORD God said unto the woman, ‘What is this that thou hast done?’ And the woman said, ‘The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.’” Genesis 3:12-13

On the day of judgment, we will each have to stand on our own. We will not be able to blame our spouse, our parents, or our miserable circumstances. We will stand alone and accept responsibility for our own sin.

This sad story has a beautiful ending – a promise. God had known before he even spoke the first words; calling the world into existence; that His beloved children would sin against Him. He knew their disobedience would come. And He had a plan already in place.

"And the LORD God said unto the serpent, 'Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.'" Genesis 3:14-15

In this verse, at the very beginning of the Bible, we see God’s first promise of a Savior. He knew we would need a way out. In His loving grace and mercy, a plan was set in motion that would give the entire world a chance to come unto Him again, to live in His presence.

And so we are given the incredible gift of Christ Jesus, the unblemished Lamb who was slain. Jesus died that second death that would keep us from God for all eternity. And he conquered death and rose again. He is waiting to take us home. For now, we each have a choice to make. We can either follow Him, or we can choose a different path, but the choice is ours.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:16-21

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you want to know Him? You can come to Jesus as you are, right now, and He will forever change your life. Give your heart to Him and you can trust Him to keep His promise. All you have to do is ask Him to come into your heart and forgive you of your sin.

Day 1: God Our Creator

Dear Heavenly Father, please fill me with your Spirit. Cleanse my heart of all unrighteousness. Help me to see who You are. Father, help me to let go of all those things inside of me that are holding me back from truly worshiping you. Let me find You today. Let me come before you with a broken spirit and a humble heart. Help me to trust You always. In Jesus Precious Holy Name I pray, amen.

Why do we worship God?

The Bible says:

"The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:10 -11

God is worthy of our worship because He is our Creator. He made you. Have you ever wondered why God created you? He wanted a friend. He created you because he loves you. The Bible tells us that God knew you before you were ever formed in your mother's womb. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Psalm 139: 1- 18:

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.

You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall[a] on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

Did you notice that? The Bible says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made! How awesome is it to think that God actually wants to be my friend! Think about it, God is God. He can do anything He wants to do. And what He wants the most is to be my friend! He wants to be your friend, too!

One of the greatest lessons I ever learned was that no matter how wretched I think I am, how much I mess things up, or how much I wish I could change, God’s grace is much bigger than I.

In the beginning we are told of God’s beautiful creation. We read in Genesis that God spoke and a world was born. He looked around and saw that everything was good. No matter how much beauty we see in this world today, that beauty is always tainted by sin. Yet, when God created this world, that very first week, nothing was marred. Nothing was wilted, dying, or dried up. Instead, the world was full of lush goodness. Everything He formed had His mark of love.

God was not content with simply creating a beautiful world full of living things. He wanted more than that. He wanted you and I. And so on the sixth day of His work, God fashioned a man. He created that man, Adam, in His own image - that man might have His likeness. He created that man to be His friend. He wanted to have a relationship with him. He wanted this man to enjoy the created world and to be happy. God created man and, for man’s own happiness, He created a woman, Eve, to be his companion.

John 4:19 says, "We love Him because He first loved us."

Notice, it does not say, "He loves us only if we love Him first." God loves us no matter what. He never gives up on us. His love is everlasting.

Jeremiah 31:3 says, "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."

We worship God because He is our Creator. We worship Him because He is the One who is worthy of our worship. We worship God because of His everlasting love.

Worthy is the Lamb - Bible Study

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“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” Psalm 95:6

Why do we worship God?
When do we worship God?
How do we worship God?

Are you are longing for a deeper relationship with Christ? Are wanting to go deeper into your worship of God? Do you feel like something is missing from your worship experience?

This will be the focus of Worthy is the Lamb, a four week Bible study just for you! This Bible study will be rich with Scripture. In fact, you may at times feel that there is more Scripture than words written by me, but that is the point - This is a true Bible study!

You can use this banner on your blog or website to let others know you are participating:

Link the image to: http://www.avirtuouswoman.org/group/worthyisthelamb

Worthy is the Lamb Bible Study Begins November 3, 2008! Get Ready!

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